FACILITIES & GROUNDS

The Ringling Art Library supplied 819 books through Interlibrary Loan to other academic and museum libraries. As a part of the FSU library system, we also participate in a robust exchange of materials with the Tallahassee campus, having filled 539 Interlibrary Loan requests during the past year for FSU’s faculty and students. 439 people attended the Library’s Literati Book Club, Conversations with the Library presentations, and tours of the Library. Members of the public visited the Library 1,272 times during the past year and 290 reference questions were answered and 301 college students used the Library. Impressive use is made of the Library’s General Collection; 2,630 titles were used within the library. One of the foremost goals of the Art Library is to supply the scholarly needs of The Ringling’s staff. In addition to the acquisition of books recommended by curators, educators, and conservators, the Library filled 1,016 requests for resource materials for staff use from other institutions. Staff used the Library 2,420 times. The Library purchased 521 new titles with a special focus on the subjects of Asian Art and Studio Glass along with new additions to the already recognized areas of excellence in Renaissance and Baroque Art. Our generous donors contributed 457 books during the past year.

The Ringling Library director participated in the Cross College Alliance meeting regularly with the group of five academic library directors in order to share information and collaborate on joint projects beneficial to all of the campuses and their students. Strong contacts have also been made with the art history instructors at Ringling College of Art and Design and New College.

Fiscal year 2018 was both challenging and rewarding for The Ringling. The Museum weathered a major hurricane as well as welcomed the opening of a landmark venue.

The Ringling’s new Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion, home to The Ringling’s studio glass collection, opened to the public on January 22, 2018. The 5,500 square-foot building designed by Lewis & Whitlock was awarded the American Institute of Architects Florida Honor Award of Excellence for Renovations and Additions and the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass Honors Award presented at SOFA in Chicago this November. The building and collection are the result of generous gifts and inspiration from Nancy and Phil Kotler and Warren and Margot Coville. In addition to providing an innovative and captivating space for display of the collection, the Glass Pavilion also serves to furnish a welcoming and accessible entrance to the Museum and the Historic Asolo Theater.

Hurricane Irma, the largest storm to hit Florida since 1960, arrived at The Ringling during the early morning hours of September 10, 2017. In preparation for the storm, Ringling staff spent approximately 3,200 hours moving venue by venue to ensure objects, buildings, and grounds were properly secured. Once Hurricane Irma had moved through, staff immediately began recovery efforts expending a total of 5,400 hours clearing grounds, repairing several electrical and air conditioning systems, and reinstalling collections into their venues. In total, The Ringling sustained damages to several objects, grounds and gardens, buildings and systems totaling over $400,000 which will be reimbursed by various insurance coverages including FEMA funds.